Cost: $130 + $60 = 190 Months on list: 2 Price Change: -$20

If one operating system is good, then two should be even better. Basically, the problem we run into each time we recommend a specific OS, is that none of the Microsoft products offer the perfect environment for a home gaming PC. Windows 2000 Pro is fast, stable and supports the vast majority of games, while Win 98SE is also fast, supports virtually all games and is relatively stable. Let's leave Windows ME out of the conversation, since if you don't have anything nice to say....

To get around the natural limitations of each OS, why not just install both Windows 2000 Professional & Windows 98 SE and dual-boot when needed? It only adds $60 to the overall cost and this scenario gives unparalleled flexibility when playing 3D games, watching DVD movies or just plugging away on a business application. Just use the best OS for the job and you will spend less time whining about Win 98SE crashing, or trying desperately to get an older game running under Windows 2000 Pro.

Intel Pentium 4 System

Case: Lian-li PC-68 w/ Enermax 400w P/S-$256
CPU: Retail Pentium 4 2.0GHz-$545
Cooling: Standard HSF-$0
Mainboard: ABIT TH7II-RAID-$190
Memory: 4 x 256MB PC800 RIMMs-$328
Hard Drive: 2 x 60GB IBM 60GXP 7200 RPM HD-$300
Video Card : Gainward CARDEXPERT GeForce3 PowerPack-$330
Monitor: Sony CPD-G520 21" Monitor-$750
Sound Card: Hercules Game Theater XP-$127
Speakers: Klipsch Promedia 5.1 THX-$399
DVD-ROM: Pioneer DVD-106S-$50
CD-RW: Plextor Plexwriter 24/10/40A-$202
Floppy: Generic-$10
Communications: 3Com EtherLink 10/100 3CR990-TX-97-$98
Communications: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem-$84
Mouse: Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer-$40
Gamepad: Logitech Wingman Rumblepad-$25
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro-$35
OS: Windows 2000 Pro-$130
OS: Windows 98SE-$60

Total: $3959

AMD Athlon System

Case: Lian-li PC-68 w/ Enermax 400w P/S-$256
CPU: OEM AMD Athlon 1.4GHz-$100
Cooling: ThermoEngine Heat Sink w/ Delta Black Label fan-$35
Mainboard: ABIT KG7-RAID-$160
Memory: 2 x 512MB PC2100 DDR-SDRAM-$140
Hard Drive: 4 x 60GB IBM 60GXP 7200 RPM HD-$600
Video Card : Gainward CARDEXPERT GeForce3 PowerPack-$330
Monitor: Sony CPD-G520 21" Monitor-$750
Sound Card: Hercules Game Theater XP-$127
Speakers: Klipsch Promedia 5.1 THX-$399
DVD-ROM: Pioneer DVD-106S-$50
CD-RW: Plextor Plexwriter 24/10/40A-$202
Floppy: Generic-$10
Communications: 3Com EtherLink 10/100 3CR990-TX-97-$98
Communications: US Robotics External v.92 Faxmodem-$84
Mouse: Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer-$40
Gamepad: Logitech Wingman Rumblepad-$25
Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro-$35
OS: Windows 2000 Pro-$130
OS: Windows 98SE-$60

Total: $3631

After 2 months running on the Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide, it seems that a full $4,000 might be a bit too much for an AMD system. We gave some thought to including a dual-Athlon MP system, but the Athlon MP 1.2 GHz is the only viable configuration possible in our price range (the Athlon MP 1.4 is still pricey and in extremely short supply). Given that even dual-Athlon MP 1.2 processors would be slower than the Athlon 1.4 in most games and applications, we held off. The next big AMD jump will likely come with the Athlon XP, which is expected to debut at 1.5 GHz and higher.

As for the Intel PC, the components fit like a glove and you can build a truly monster gaming system for a $4,000 price tag. We filled that PC with everything we could think of and still came in around $40 under budget, or just enough to nab a new game off the shelf. This is not a negative of the AMD system, since you do save a nice chunk of change going this route, it's just that if you've got $4,000 to blow then going the Intel route might get you a bit more juice. That is, until the Athlon XP arrives or AMD increases supply on their Athlon MP 1.4 and lowers the cost a bit.

Please note that the prices in our guide do not include shipping costs or taxes. The final system price also reflects a "best case" scenario of finding an online vendor that stocks the majority of internal components, or having access to a number of local computer retailers for system quotes and comparison shopping.

Vince Freeman
Editor